Shoehorn



Aug. 10, 1948. F. c. MENENKO SHOEHORN Filed Jan. 13, 1947' Frederick 0. Mehenko ,By @m Fig.` 5.

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Patented Aug. l0,4 1948 UNITED `STATES SHOEHGRN v Frederick C. Menenko, La Porte, Application `lanuary 13, 1947, Serial No. 721,727.

(Cl. 36--1l 3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful im.- provements in shoe horns and more particularly to a shoe horn adapted to be worn in the shoe.

The primary feature of the present invention is to provide a shoe horn of flexible material that conforms to the shape of .the heel and counter while the shoe is on the foot and laids in retaining the shoe on the foot.

Another important feature of this invention is to provide a device of the character referred to that in no way interferes with the wearing of rubbers or spats on shoes to which the device is attached.

A further feature of this invention is to provide a shoe horn which is secured within the shoe on the bottom thereof and having a hook formed at its upper end which grips the rear edge of said counter when the shoe is on a persons foot, said hook being easily released from the counter and used in urging the shoe ofi the foot, when desired.

'A still further feature of this invention is to provide la device of the class described that is neat and attractive in appearance, effi-cient and reliable in operation, relatively linexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View partly in section to show the present invention in position in the shoe and dotted lines showing the device in position for use in placing the foot in the shoe.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the improved shoe horn removed from the shoe.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 5 represents a shoe of the ordinary low or oxford type having a leather outer sole 6 to the rear end of which a heel I is attached. The counter of the shoe is shown at 8.

Numeral 9 represents 'the lower flexible plate of the shoe horn, the front edge of which is lprovided with openings IU suitably secured by nails or the like Illa to the heel of the shoe under the heel insole Il.

The rear edge of said lower plate is hingedly .a'rslvr orrlcE 2 connected as at I2 to the lower edge of the u.p wardly extending slightly flexible plate I3 of the shoe horn.

The upper plate I3 is adapted to conform to the ,curvature of the heel of the user and the curvature of the counter of the shoe on fthe inner portion of said lshoe against which the upper plate bears in a normal position.

The upper edge of said upper plate i3 is bent outwardly to form a hook I4 which is adapted to tightly grip the upper edge of said counter of the shoe.

To use the device in inserting a foot in the shoe, the hook I d is pulled upwardly with the index nger and thumb as shown in dotted lines in Figure l, and the foot slipped in the shoe. The heel is placed on the upper plate I3 and is slipped quickly and easily into the shoe forcing the lower plate 9 downwardly flatly in the heel as shown in full lines in Figure 1.

The hook is then secured to 'the upper edge of the counter of the shoe.

The plate 9 may be constructed of flexible plastic, lightweight spring metal or other suitable flexible material and :the plate I3 is preferably constructed of semi-flexible plastic material of .a desired color.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with lthe accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and Iadvantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is Ito be understood that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of 'the invention as herein described and lthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a shoe having an attachment for facilitating the insertion of a foot into the shoe, said attachment including a lower plate and upper plate, the two plates being hinged to each other, the lower plate being secured to the inside of the shoe at the heel, and an outwardly `and downwardly turned hook integral with said upper plate for fastening the upper plate to the upper rear edge of the shoe, .the lower plate being highly flexible and the upper plate being relatively inflexible.

2. In a device of the class described, a shoe having an attachment for facilitating the insertion of the foot into the `shoe, said attachment comprising 3 a shoe horn, a lower plate hingedly connected to said horn and having its forward edge fastened to the inside heel portion of the shoe, and a hook provided at the upper end of said horn adapted to grip the upper edge of said shoe in a normal po.- sition, lsaid hook furnishing finger gripping means whereby fthe horn is raised.

3. A shoe horn to be secured within a shoe and including Aa lower ex-ible plate adapted to be secured within the shoe at the heel, a curved upper plate hingedly connected at its lower edge lto said lower plate, said upper plate being of a curvature to conform to fthe heel of the -foot of the wearer, and the upper end .of said upper plate terminating in a hook adapted to grip the upper edge of 15 v 70,849

the rear portion of the shoe.

FREDERICK C. MENENKO.

REFERENCES cmm The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,614 Roosevelt May 15, 1883 738,'851 Soism Sept. 15, 1903 10 1,176,572 Lessig Mar. 2l, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 118,238 Great Britain Aug. 22, 1918 Germ-any 1--- Jan. 27, 1939 

